The following is a simplified description of a process for producing a coffee beverage. First, the husk and pulp portions of coffee cherries (the fruit of Coffea plants of the family Rubiaceae) are removed, and green coffee beans are obtained thereby (a refining process). Roasted coffee beans are then produced by carrying out a heat treatment process on the obtained green coffee beans (a roasting process). It should be noted that the components that form the basis of the tastes and aromas unique to coffee (referred to as “coffee flavor and aroma components” hereinafter) are produced in the roasting process. After the roasting process, the roasted coffee beans are ground and soaked with hot water, thereby extracting the coffee flavor and aroma components. This extract is provided as a coffee beverage.
At present, demand for coffee beverages as pleasure beverages continues to rise, and consumer tastes are diversifying with regard to coffee flavor and aroma.
A conventional method of creating coffee bean roasts, in which various types of roasted coffee beans with different degrees of roasting are produced by changing the heating temperature, heating duration, and the like during the roasting process, is generally employed as a method for creating diverse coffee flavors and aromas in order to respond to such consumer needs.
In another such method, ground green coffee beans are inoculated with and fermented by A. oryzae and then roasted, and the coffee flavor and aroma components generated at this time are extracted. The extracted coffee flavor and aroma components are then added to coffee products such as coffee extract, roasted coffee beans, ground coffee, and the like, thereby enhancing the coffee flavor and aroma (see patent reference 1).
[Patent Reference 1] JP H1-112950A